


Just you and me

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A support, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Count Gloucester's A+ Parenting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Literally hurt Raphael, M/M, One Shot, Rare pair hell is a terrible place, Rarepair, Rescue, Some Humor, hurt Lorenz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-25 16:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22138855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: While tending to the injuries Raphael sustained from Lorenz's would-be kidnappers, Lorenz finds a rare letter.
Relationships: Lorenz Hellman Gloucester/Raphael Kirsten
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51





	Just you and me

“Raphael, would you mind terribly putting that thing away?” Lorenz sighed, moving his hands to rest on his hips. 

Raphael continued his loud chewing, “Sorry, gotta keep up my strength, you know?” 

Raphael smiled through bulging cheeks, heeding no mind to the blood that was trickling from his forehead and cascading down his face. He sat on a log before a frazzled Lorenz, tearing into a fistful of beef jerky without a single care. His insistence on making a meal out of the tough, heavily salted snack blocked off any move Lorenz made, Whom was concentrating rather intently on using what little white magic he knew to heal him. 

“You should eat something too, you really got roughed up back there!” 

Lorenz pursed his lips at the thought of the manhandling he’s endured prior to Raphael suddenly barreling through the thick foliage of the forest to his rescue.

“Thank you for your kind offer, but I’ll have to decline.” Lorenz grumbled, as he tried to reach for Raphael’s marred arm.

“Come on, it’s alright!” Lorenz let out an irritated scoff as Raphael evaded his grasp once more, jutting his arm out to try and offer him the meaty bouquet. “I won’t go keeling over on you! You know how you got all those magic reserves? Well, I got muscle reserves! All this extra strength saved up!” He clarified, patting his belly proudly.

Lorenz dismissively pushed Raphael’s fist away from him.

“Surely if you can wait long enough to replenish yourself for my sake, then you can wait long enough to let me heal you, can’t you?” Lorenz snapped, raising a brow.

“Oh.” Raphael blinked. “Ok, yeah, good point. Heal away!” Raphael beamed, slipping his jerky into his front pocket. 

“Marvelous.” Lorenz said with a strained grin, as he refocused on Raphael’s many cuts and gashes. 

He made short work of Raphael’s bloodied arm and torn knuckles before he reached his face; after all, that was where the real damage was. Before he could reach for the scarring, Raphael suddenly let out a loud gasp, startling his companion.

“Lorenz!” He exclaimed, voice rasping. 

“What?!” Lorenz shouted back, head snapping up and stream of white magic stopping short. 

Raphael jabbed a finger towards the ground. “Look!” 

Lorenz followed, looking down to see a cut of poultry laying in the dirt, just to the side of his foot.

“...A pheasant leg?” Lorenz asked.

“My pheasant leg! I brought it along as a snack.” Raphael beamed.

Lorenz blinked slowly. “Raphael, you brought a cooked pheasant leg from the monastery on a reconnaissance survey?” 

“Yup! I started on it while we were split up. You still weren’t back from the East side and all that looking around got me hungry, so I figured that would be as good a time as any!”

“Raphael.” Lorenz interrupted. “How long did you have that on hand?”

But alas, Lorenz’s concerns fell on deaf ears as Raphael launched into a story.

“When I was digging in, I realized that you’d been gone for awhile, so I go looking for you. All of a sudden I see you tied up and getting dragged away by these guys, so I just..." He made a quick motion with his hand "...chucked it so I could help you! It must of landed right here! Small world, right?”

Lorenz allowed himself a moment to let the transpiring events sink in before clearing his throat.

“Ah… Well.” Lorenz said, somewhat awkwardly. “I am pleased to hear that I am worth more than a pheasant leg in your eyes.”

“Lorenz, I would chuck a thousand pheasant legs for you!”

Raphael offered Lorenz a bright, gleaming smile, so genuine and pure that Lorenz couldn’t hold back a warm, wavering smile of his own before breaking eye contact. Raphael’s eyes fell downwards as well, straight to the filthy pheasant leg. He proceeded to bend over, uncurling his fingers to pick it up. Lorenz promptly kicked the dirt caked treat out of his reach.

“Aw…” Raphael whimpered, with an expression that made it seem more like Lorenz kicked him as opposed to the wasted food.

Leave it to Raphael to make Lorenz feel like a villain for making sure he didn’t contract a parasite. 

“Worry not, my insatiable friend.” Lorenz patted Raphael’s arm apologetically. “To show you my gratitude for how you defended me today, I will be taking you  _ out  _ to eat.”

“Really?!” Raphael cried, eyes immediately lit up. 

“Perhaps not immediately” Lorenz corrected himself “But when the war is over, I promise you that much. I know of a few establishments that are simply to die for; places that will make you realize that you, Raphael, have never even had a decent meal in your life.” 

“Oh man, I can’t wait! Thank you so much!” Raphael cried, squirming from where he sat excitedly. 

“Ah- yes- well-!” Lorenz started, reaching out to try and steady Raphael as his wriggling about reopened some scarring that had not yet fully healed. “Let’s at the very least make sure you survive first.”

“Yeah, don’t forget to take care of yourself, either.” 

Lorenz swiftly dodged a greasy finger, face curled in disgust as Raphael’s hand gestured to a particularly raw and angry bruise along his cheekbone, a ring of dark purple already beginning to form around a stinging split of skin. 

“Seriously Lorenz, make sure you heal all of that too. You know this one time, me and Ignatz were out on a scouting mission, and these bad guys show up! So we’re fighting them off, and this one guy…  _ bashes _ Iggy over the head! But Iggy was all like, ‘ _ I’m fine, just keep going! _ ’ ‘cause he might not look like it, but he’s tough as nails-!”

Lorenz tuned Raphael out, all but climbing up on Raphael to get at the gash that drenched his forehead in blood, brow furrowed as he focused his energy at mending this wound. Raphael was unphased up this, leaning back slightly to look up at Lorenz and continuing his story. 

“-The minute we stepped out of there, he just…” Raphael held his arm straight up in a ninety degree angle, then straightened it out downwards, emphasizing the fall by blowing a raspberry. “...plop! Went down, just like that. I was like- ‘ _ Woah!’ _ \- and-” 

Raphael was finally cut off with a slight groan as he felt the last of his injuries reseal. 

“My apologies. Are you alright?” Lorenz asked, rather gently. 

“Oh, yeah!” Raphael said, standing up and stretching out. “Thanks, I’m feeling way better! Now, we should really get back to the monastery and let everyone know what happened. We gotta be ready in case those guys come back!” 

“Yes, this won’t be the last we see of them.” Lorenz stated, as though it were a fact.

“Still, wonder who they were… I’m sure Claude can help us find out!”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” 

Raphael stopped, looking over to his spindly friend. “Huh?” He asked.

With a sweep of his hand, Lorenz healed his split cheek, then gracefully flicked his other hand forward. In it was a black envelope with a seal, violet around the edges and red at the center. The seal was broken, and the lip of the envelope was slightly torn. 

“I found this on one of those scoundrels not long after you bested them.” 

“A letter? What’s it say?” 

“Why don’t we find out?” Lorenz cleared his throat before he began to read the note out loud, his voice sullen and deep. 

_ In spite of my cooperation, know that we are by no means allies. You will capture the boy, bring him to me, and you and your men will leave Fodlan. No further attempts at contact or requests for work shall be made, lest you’d like to be tried for his kidnapping. _

_ He’s gone mad in every sense of the word, coerced by the vulgar, depraved, and morally bankrupt. Yet in the end I only have myself to blame, as I for too long gave into his whims, acting as his friend rather than serve as a guiding hand.  _

_ Any attempt I have made to make him see reason as been met with negligence and spite. It pains me to do so, but he has left me no choice. _

_ Subdue him as you will, but I expect you to bring the boy back in one piece, any severe injury I will take as an indication that you’d like to forfeit your earnings.  _

_ He’s hidden himself away in the remains of Garreg Mach Monastery. A band of commoner children aligning themselves against the Empire have also laid claim to the area, but you need not concern yourselves over them; in the event they interfere, do as you see fit with them. _

_ As discussed, bring him to the location I disclosed in our meeting, not to my estate. I expect him in three days time. Bring him in less, and your reward will be doubled. _

Lorenz drew out the last sentence deliberately, emphasizing the importance with a faint growl. He tucked the letter back into it’s envelope, turning it’s front towards Raphael and tapping at the seal. 

“Tell me Raphael, do you recognize this symbol?” Lorenz’s head tilted downwards, brows arched as his voice intense in its grimness. 

“Uh…” Raphael leaned forward slightly, squinting at the little blot of wax. 

Lorenz bit his lip before he leaned over himself to try and give the bigger man a better look; Raphael reached forward and took the letter between his finger and his thumb to all but press his nose against it. Lorenz let out a little yelp as he was suddenly pulled forward

“Ok, I see a G…” Raphael started “and, there’s a bunch of wavy lines behind the G… oh wait! That’s a flower!” 

“Not just any flower, my friend… the pattern on the petals, the delicate waves, the sweeps, the curls… the blend from a royal violet to a bloody crimson… It’s the Gloucester Rose.” 

“No…!” Raphael gasped. 

“It needn't even be signed, for the ringleader has already made himself known…”

“...Gardeners...” Raphael said, in all seriousness.

“Yes…” Lorenz agreed austerely, looking out into the distance. But just as quickly as he said it, he turned to Raphael with a “What? No!” 

Raphael squinted with a knowing look. “Well not  _ gardeners  _ but more like… these guys must have been from the Empire! They were just disguising themselves as gardeners. You know, so we wouldn’t go looking for them in Enbarr or something.”

“No, Raphael this is-!” Lorenz took a deep breath. “Raphael, this is emblem from  _ my house _ , my father was the one who arranged this affair!”

“Your dad sided with the empire?!” Raphael exclaimed. 

“W-Well, yes and no, but for the sake of this…” Lorenz turned to the letter, struggling to find the right word before he gave up and just shook the paper around. “Thing, I haven’t the faintest idea, the answer is no!” 

“Well if it wasn’t from the empire, who else could it be?” Raphael argued.

“Raphael, the letter was sent by my  _ father _ .”

“Uh, Yeah, you just told me that.”

“Oh for the love of - let me finish!” Lorenz barked. “My father instructed these hooligans to abduct me. My father promised  _ payment  _ to these hooligans to abduct me. This would mean that the true mastermind behind this all is…”

Lorenz held out hands, poring over Raphael expectantly, waiting for him to connect the dots. 

“Your father…” Raphael started, hesitantly. “... was actually the Emperor all along?” 

Lorenz blinked several times at Raphael before scrunching up his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. Finally, he relented and dropped the theatrics. 

“My father arranged to have me kidnapped, on his own. Nothing whatsoever to do with the empire, it was only him out of his own volition. Just him. Nobody else. At all.” 

“Oh.” Raphael stated plainly. “Well why didn’t you just say so?” 

Lorenz let out a defeated groan, shoulders sagging slightly as he put a few feet of distance between himself and the gentle giant. 

“It is all terribly concerning.”

“Yeah, what happened back there must have been pretty scary.” Raphael sympathized. “But you know you’re safe with me!”

“It’s not that. What’s concerning me is the use of our family seal.”

“How come that’s bothering you?”

“My father’s an unsavory sort, that cannot be denied.” Lorenz began to pace. “but he’s always been so careful about it...” 

Raphael waited a moment before quietly asking. “What are you saying?”

Lorenz gave out a bitter laugh. 

“He partook in atrocities that would have anyone else guillotined without a moment to spare, without a second thought, he knew this; therefore he had to know how to conceal himself.” 

An irate roll of the eyes.

“ Such a mastermind in villainy, yet so utterly useless in court that he couldn’t hold a seat unless he killed another man for it.”

Raphael stared at him like he’d sprouted a tail. Lorenz heeded him no mind, now talking exclusively to himself.

“But to declare his involvement in this so openly… to leave something behind deliberately, to connect himself-!” Lorenz shook his head, a dark expression masking over him. “He thinks himself untouchable, doesn’t he?” 

“Uh…” 

“Oh, the audacity of it! The arrogance, the absolute gall! 

“H-hey-”

“Though, I suppose it’s to be expected… we’ve gotten away with so much… everything we’ve done, everything we did to commoners and nobility alike, to the duke, to  _ you-!” _

“ _ Lorenz! _ ” Raphael called out.

Lorenz flinched involuntarily at the sudden, sharp boom, spinning around and taking in the scene before him. Raphael’s eyes were locked on him, shocked and hurt. Even as he loomed over him, the undeniable pain on his face made Raphael seem so very small. 

Oh, now he had done it. Lorenz wanted to slap himself for his childish outburst, especially towards the man who he currently owed his life to. 

He let out a shameful sigh. “Raphael, I-” 

“That wasn’t your fault!” 

That sent another shock wave through Lorenz’s chest, though this time not through the power of the statement, but it’s meaning.

“What?” He found himself whispering, a slight tremor in his voice. 

“Wh-what you were saying there-” Raphael explained, his voice softening. “-All that ‘we’ stuff, you had nothing to do with what happened to me and my family… That was all your dad.” 

Lorenz froze in response to what Raphael suggested. He managed to take a step backwards, but even that seemed laborious and trance-like. He turned his back on Raphael, pristine posture dropping as he brought his arms over his chest. From behind, Raphael could see one arm break away to press a knuckle to his mouth.

“Lorenz?”

On cue, Lorenz’s other arm flew from himself so that he could cover his face with both hands. Raphael moved a little closer, jaw hanging just slightly agape as his own hands hovered just above the other man. His ears perked at the sound of Lorenz’s breath hissing through clenched teeth, until it seemingly became too much for him to bear.

“Lorenz…”

The first sob was more of a squeak if anything, quickly cut off as Lorenz began to tremble, lip wobbling underneath the heels of his palms. 

Raphael decided he no longer needed to wait for Lorenz to say something, opting to drape himself over the other man and hold him tenderly. Lorenz didn’t return the embrace, shrinking and curling in on himself, but buried himself into Raphael’s chest nonetheless. Raphael moved his arms to envelope Lorenz’s slender frame, lowering himself to shield and hide him away. This small, protective gesture gave Lorenz the courage to weep openly into Raphael’s shirt.

“Alright, c’mere…” Raphael said in a warm tone. He scooped him up with no trouble at all, perching himself back onto the log with Lorenz up in his lap. 

“There you go buddy, just let it out.” Raphael soothed, giving Lorenz a firm pat on the back. 

“ I… I’m sorry-!” Lorenz babbled out between hiccups. “-I’m sorry… I- 

“Ok, no more of that, got it?” Raphael made his voice firm. “Seriously, no more, leave  _ him  _ out of this. If you got something you did that you wanna apologize for, go ahead, but if it has anything to do with him, I don’t wanna hear it.” 

This made Lorenz cry harder, balling fists against Raphael’s form.

“Hey.” Raphael uttered. He let go of Lorenz to cup his face in his hands, bringing him up to face him. Lorenz looked back up at him miserably, his body shaking and heaving with each gasp as tears spilled down his face.

“This is just us right now, alright? Just you and me.” 

Lorenz screwed his eyes shut in response with a slight whine. The moment that Raphael’s hands slipped away, he buried himself back into the safety of Raphael’s center. He didn’t have anything more to say, and Raphael decided that at the time being, neither did he. 

It wasn’t until the sobs died down into quiet hiccups when Raphael decided that it would be as good a time as any to start talking again.

“Alright, how you feeling?” Raphael asked. “Any better?” 

Lorenz shifted slightly, a loud sniff escaping him, but he made no motion to react to Raphael’s questions. 

“Come on, Lorenz…” Raphael said. “You know I don’t blame you for what happened to my parents, and even if I did you still wouldn't need to apologize for it, ‘cause you didn’t do it.”

“But I do…”  __ Lorenz murmured, face still buried in Raphael’s soaked shirt. 

“No you don’t.” 

“I  _ do.”  _

“But you-” 

“I have to because he won’t.” Lorenz finally spoke up, his voice thick. “He will never apologize… never repent… and he most certainly  _ will not change.”  _

Raphael craned his neck to look down at Lorenz, who refused to meet his gaze. 

“I know my father far more than I know myself even. He will never...” 

Lorenz paused for a moment. What word was he looking for? Never stop hurting others? Never stop taking? Trampling? Tearing lives apart? _Never_ _let his son go?_

Lorenz settled on a simple answer.

“… change.” 

Raphael found his mind wandering back to some foggier memories, way back when they were all just kids going to school. He remembered a lanky first born noble son, a complete black sheep out of his own accord. He was self-important, pompous and undeniably rude, holding his father’s name as the center of his universe. He chased others away with his scrutinizing glares and razor edges. No one was worth his time, it would seem. 

Yet here that arrogant and spiteful boy was, huddled up against him and agonizingly remorseful for wrongs that weren’t even his. He now burdened his father’s name with an undeniable shame, doing anything and everything in his power to make that name is own. Not a name that held power, pride, but simply a name that could be respected. A name that could be looked upon warmly, without fear or spite. 

That boy from the academy had seemed so distant to him these past five years, that Raphael had forgot that he even knew him once as Lorenz.

“Well yeah, he might not; but you did, right?” 

Lorenz finally looked up to Raphael willingly, red rimmed eyes wide in disbelief. He said nothing before he pressed himself back into Raphael’s chest, allowing his final tears to slide silently down his face. 

Raphael started circling his hand over Lorenz’s back, before letting out a grumble.

“Ugh, your dad is the worst, going right after the people I love the most! If he wants to get at you, he’ll have to get through me first!” Raphael stuck out a finger. “Which he won’t! I’m too big for that.”

Lorenz forced a small laugh.

“Yes, with you by my side it would seem I have nothing to fear. But understand that the true power here lies within  _ me. _ ”

“That’s right!” Raphael boomed, a determined smile spreading across his face. “Together, we’re unstoppable!”

“Undefeatable...!” Lorenz concurred shakily. 

“Family or not, he can’t do this to you! We’ll show him, just you wait!” Raphael exclaimed. 

Lorenz bit his lip, breaking away from Raphael’s eyes. Raphael blinked, leaning forward slightly. 

“What’s on your-”

“I’ve heard-!” Lorenz interrupted, his voice came out a little too loud. Color lightly dusting over his cheeks, he timidly corrected. “-I have heard it said that blood is thicker than water… but I’ve also heard it said that the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” 

Lorenz offered a weak smile, his own eyes glued to the ground.

“Perhaps… it wouldn’t be too outlandish if I….” He let out a cough. “Well, I already chose something else over my father long ago.”

“Really? What?” Raphael asked, tilting his head. 

“The peace and prosperity of Fodlan, for starters. Then to solidify my name in history as a leader, visionary, and saviour to not just the Alliance but to this entire country; perhaps even the world assuming the Emperor gets overambitious.” 

Lorenz laughed, hoping this would lighten the otherwise serious mood. Raphael watched him intently, eyebrows raised as he waited for him to finish. Lorenz found himself feeling rather bashful.

“And… and…”

Raphael nodded, waiting for Lorenz to continue. The other physically shied away, finding that eager look just unbearable. 

“...you...” Lorenz said, somewhat under his breath before following up with a sharp “...and the others! Of course!” 

Out of nowhere, A huge, open smile spread over Raphael’s face as he snapped his fingers. 

“I just got the best idea! You could join my family!” 

Had it not been for the sudden burst of color spreading over his face, Lorenz would have looked three shades paler. Between that, his disheveled hair, and the mess of tears and snot on his face, the only way to describe his expression was completely scandalized.

“I- whu- buh-” he floundered helplessly. “You wish to-” 

Lorenz suddenly became acutely aware of just where he had been sitting all this time, squawking indignantly as he threw his arms out and pushed his chest off of Raphael’s.

“H- You’re asking me- here?  _ Now?!”  _

“Sure!” Raphael said. “Why not? You’d fit in just fine! I already told my lil’ sis all about you, she’d love meeting you!”

“...Ah…” Lorenz’ voice came out trembling as he flushed completely red, averting his eyes and carefully climbing out of Raphael’s lap. Raphael seemed entirely unfazed by what he had just implied. 

“Seriously, it’ll be great! You can come and live with us, and we could all eat together and play games together, work together, _train_ together, that's an important one, and most of all we’d all look out for each other!”

As much as Lorenz would adore being swept up into Raphael’s fantasy, he knew he needed to be both pragmatic about his future, as well as Raphael’s, before he made any promises. Fortunately for him, he was resolute as ever. 

“Perhaps… it’ll be the other way around? What I mean is I could offer you employment as my knight once I become the count, you’ve done so much work for it after all, and I-I could offer both you and your family residence in my..” 

Lorenz felt his tongue swell up. 

“ _ On  _ my land.”

“Hey, that’s actually a pretty good idea! If I was your knight, I’d never have to worry about you or my lil’ sis ever again!” 

Lorenz clicked, with a slight shake of his head.

“My, that poor girl… I’ll spare no expense for her! I see it as an obligation that I civilize you both.” Lorenz quipped. 

Raphael straightened his posture, and suddenly gave Lorenz a half-lidded, cocky gaze. 

“I do say good sir, let’s talk about the economy. All the while, we can drink this tea I made out of melted money!” Raphael shot back before he let out a over-exaggerated hum, arching an eyebrow. 

Lorenz scrunched his nose up, rubbing his chin.

“More eloquence, less grandiose.” He wasn’t able to keep a straight face for much longer, a goofy grin cracking over an otherwise annoyed face.

“I would keep practicing, but I’m not so sure about being a noble. I don’t think I could really handle that kind of lifestyle.” Raphael pouted.

“I cannot say that I blame you, dear boy.” Lorenz sighed. “I don’t see myself fitting in with common crowd myself.” 

Raphael shrugged. “It’s an easy problem to fix, though. We could just take the best parts of both.” 

He sighed, putting his arms out to the sky. 

“I can see it now, a place all our own!”

A small peep escaped Lorenz has Raphael’s arm suddenly snaked around his waist, and pulled him into his side. Raphael craned his neck slightly to rest his cheek atop of Lorenz’s head. It was likely a more comical gesture if anything, Regardless Lorenz stood rigid, wide eyed and flushed hot.

“Just… you and I?” Lorenz asked. 

“Just you and me.”

Lorenz felt a shiver jolt through him as he melted into Raphael.

“And my sis.” Raphael added, nodding. 

Lorenz deflated just ever so slightly at that. 

“Could you imagine that? You could be like… Lorenz Hellman Kirsten!” 

“Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue… How about Raphael Gloucester?” 

“Oh, Oh! We could be called-” Raphael paused for emphasis. “Kioucester…” 

“ _ Kioucester _ _?”  _ Lorenz objected, brow raised.

“Gloursten?” Raphael suggested, suddenly sheepish.

“That’s worse.” Lorenz moaned, pressing a hand to his face.

“Ok, ok, we'll just figure it out later!” Raphael clapped a hand on Lorenz’s shoulder, throwing him slightly off balance. “Let’s head back. Everyone’s probably worried about us!” 

Raphael began back towards the monastery, pep in his great, lumbering steps. Lorenz twiddled his hands at the loss of content, and willed up the courage to speak.

“Ah… Raphael?” Lorenz asked, taking a quick step forward.

“What’s up?” Raphael asked, bringing his hands to rest on his hips. 

Lorenz clearly wanted to say something but no words came out. His eyes quickly raked up and down Raphael, until he finally pursed his lips, looking down with a small nod and swiftly moving forward to hug him. His  arms delicately draped around Raphael’s shoulders and chin rested just at the base of his neck. Raphael couldn’t see it, but Lorenz’s eyes fluttered shut and a smile unconsciously appeared upon his face.

“Thank you, Raphael. For everything. Your compassion has meant the world to me, and I only hope that one day I can repay it all in full.” 

“D’aaaaaaw!” Raphael cooed. “Get over here!” 

With that, Raphael clamped his own arms around Lorenz, suddenly missing the tenderness he held him with before. Instead they squeezed him in a vice grip, causing Lorenz to let out a choked grunt. If Raphael had noticed the sound he was paying no mind to it; he lifted the squirming noble off of his feet, laughing jovially amidst strangled protests and pleas as he swung his dear companion from side to side. 

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  


_ Not long after the war, the freshly disgraced Count Gloucester was located and apprehended by his own former forces, who informed him he would stand trial for a plethora of crimes against the alliance; most notably the murder of the late Duke Von Riegan and the Kirsten family.  _

_ It came as quite a shock to him when he found that Lorenz, his own flesh and blood, had taken over his office and was personally overseeing his trial. Raphael Kirsten, the commoner the count had orphaned so long ago, as well as Lorenz’s personal and most trusted knight, was close by his side for its entirety.  _

_ As testimonies were given and evidence against the count piled up, his son had reached out to his knight and addressed him by name. The knight didn’t hesitate to take his hand.  _

_ As the young count delicately circled his thumb upon a rather gaudy ring placed on his knight’s girthy finger, he asked tenderly “My dear, how do you think we should proceed?”  _

_ Those who were called to the trial swore they saw the count go violet in the face. _

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I felt it was a real missed opportunity that in Lorenz and Raphael's supports, they never talk about what Lorenz's dad did to Raph's parents, so I wrote about it. 
> 
> I also love "Opposite attracts" pairings, so I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and help beef this pairing tag up a bit!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
